Automatic bait-box.



3. z ,w 0 .W m 9 o l ..w y t iiliii... n GA 6 l E v w TU m l T .......vs:i: N E M P m .YO nl: I B l u T mh N E H P H A w G B D W N C B m A T. u2 m L T F m B A N 0 u T m J U M A A n A oo 1, LJ 0%. M :1v m o .4 N wi/w.

Patented June 164, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

NICHOLAS BLANOHET, OF PENDLETON, OREGON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,335, dated June 16,1903.

i Application led September 17, 190.2. Serial No, 123.744. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS BLANOHET, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pendleton, in the county of Umatilla and State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticBait-Boxes, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to an automatic baitbox for the use of shermen,and the main purpose of the same is to provide a simple and effectivedevice adapted to be attached to a fishing-rod and having means wherebybait maybe conveniently and regularly ejected therefrom withinconvenient reaching distance of a sherman and avoid the necessity ofcarrying a separate box and the delay and inconvenience of frequentmovements from one place to another in order to obtain bait forreplenishing a hook with the same.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure lis a top plan view of a portion of afishing-rod, showing the improved bait-box secured thereto in operativeposition. Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe improved bait-box, showingitin a position different from that illustrated by Fig. l. Fig. 3 is asection through the :improved bait-box in the position shown by Fig. 2,showing the manner of insertinga hook to engage the bait. Fig. 4 is atransverse section on the line 4 4, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a transversesection on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of aportion of the device.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicatecorrespondingparts in the several views.

The numeral l designates a tubular cylindrical body, which is closed atone end by a cap 2, having a slot 3 at its front end engaged byoutwardly-bent locking-tongues 4, integrally formed with the rearextremity of the body, the tongues being capable of an inward bendingoperation to permit the cap to be removed When it is desired to clean orotherwise adjust the parts of the bait-box. The tongues 4 extend throughthe slot 3 of the cap 2, as clearly shown by Fig. 2, and engage suitablecounter-slots 5, out in the opposite walls of the slot 3, to provide asecure holding means for the cap and prevent the latter fromaccidentally ypulling olf from the rear end of the body 1. To the centerof the rear end of the cap 2 a hanger-link or analogous device 6 ismovably attached for the purpose of connecting the entire bait-box to afish-basket: or other device when not in use for convenience intransportation andstorage. Extendinglongitudinally of the `body 1 is aslot 7, with a laterally-extending recess or counter-slot 8 near the cap2, the said slot 7 serving as ventilatling means for the interior of thebox and the counter-slot 8 for manipulating and controlling the positionof parts contained within the body and which Will be now set forth.Movably mounted'within the body l is a hollow follower or expellingdevice 9, having a front closed end l0, and extending into the saidfollower or expelling device is the frontextremity of anexpelling-spring ll, having its opposite terminal bearing against therear end of the cap 2, the said spring holding the follower or expellingdevice normally projected to its full forward movement within the body.To prevent the follower or expelling device from turning Within thebody, a headed stud l2 projects outwardly therefrom and moves in theslot7,and when theimproved device is filled with bait the headed stud isgrasped and drawn rearwardly toward the cap 2 until the counter-slot Sisreached, when the fisherman or operator inserts his finger through thesaid slot and firmly holds the follower retracted. It Will be seen thatwhen the follower or expelling device is drawn backwardly toward the cap2 the spring 1l is compressed, and when the bait is inserted in theimproved device itis disposed against the front closed end 10 of thesaid follower or expelling device and is thus forced toward the deliveryend of the bait-box. of the body l has a conical nozzle or feeder 13,with a slot 14 therein extending lengthwise thereof and having anangular guard l5 projecting outwardly from one of the Walls thereof. Inrear of the said slot and at the front extremity of the body is a pairof outwardly-projecting ears 16, between which the The front endrearwardly-extending shank 17 of a closure 18 is pivotally mounted, thesaid closure conforming in contour to the remaining portion of thenozzle and having a ilange 19 at one side which bears closely againsttheguard 15, the latter and the said flange preventing the bait from beingforced outwardly in a lateral direction from the nozzle, and therebyprevent loss of the same. The closure 18 is normally held shut by aspring 20. interposed between the shank and the adjacent partA of thebody 1 and continuing from the said shank is a suitably roughened ormilled iinger-piece 21, on which the fisherman or user of the bait-boxexerts a downward pressure to open the closure when it is desired towithdraw a bait therefrom. The guard l coutin ues forwardly anddownwardly toward the free end of the nozzle from the one ear 16,

and the side portion of the closure opposite that which closely bearsagainst the guard and having the flange 19 is projected beyond theopposite ear, so that the iisherman may obtain enough clearance to reachthe bait when the closure is opened without effecting a too greatexposure of the bait and avoid liability of loss of the same. The body 1on opposite sides of the counter-slot 8 is formed with milled orserrated finger-gripping surfaces 22 to afford the fisherman or operatormeans for obtaining a firm hold on the body during the operation ofmaintaining the follower or expelling device in retracted position. Itwill also be understood that the spring 11 will be of a light nature andnot strong enough to impart a crushing pressure to the bait, but havingsufficient resilient force to gradually feed and press the bait towardthe nozzle 13.

The improved bait box when in use is adapted to be attached to afishing-rod, and for this purposealongitudinally-disposed concave seat23 is secured to the intermediate portion thereof by metallic strips 24,the latter having slots 25 therein, through which is passed a strap 26,provided with a buckle. The seat 23 is placed against the rod and thestrap 26 drawn around the latterand secured, said seat being long enoughto prevent the box from moving from its applied position and maintainingit in parallel relation to the rod, as clearly shown by Fig. 1.

Itwill be seen that the particular inode of attaching the cap 2 to therear extremity of the body provides convenient means for assembling thespring 1l and follower 9 in relation to the body 1, and, as beforestated, said cap may be removed at any time and the spring and followerwithdrawn from the body to permit the latter to be cleaned and afterwardthe parts reassembled, as shown. In charging the improved box with baitthe closure 18 is opened and the baitinserted through the slot 14against the follower or expelling device 9, the latter having been firstdrawn backwardly as far as possible. After the bait has been inserted inthe box the closure 18 is released and the follower or expelling deviceis permitted to exert its pressure against the bait within the body.When it is desired to withdraw a bait from the box, the closure 18 isopened and the bait are withdrawn, as shown by Fig. 3, and by successiveoperations, whereby the bait is relieved from the box, the follower orexpelling device gradually forces the remaining portion of the baittoward the feeding-nozzle or outlet end of the device.

It is proposed to construct the improved bait-box of suitable sheetmetal of non-corrosive nature and to suitably ornament the same byplating or other design embellishment, and it will also be understoodthat the dimensions and proportions of the entire structure may bevaried at will.

The improved device will be found exceptionally useful for the purposefor which it has beenV devised and will avoid considerable annoyance toshermen by always having their bait at hand and ready for use.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1.A bait-box consisting of a tubular body havinga conical outlet end, anda spring-actuated feeding device mounted in the body and operating toforce the bait toward the outlet end of the latter.

2. A bait-box of the class set forth for attachment to a fishing-rodhaving means therein for forcing the bait toward the front outlet endthereof.

3. A bait-box for attachment to a fishingrod or the like havinga tubularbody with a front conical feeding-nozzle, a closure movably operating inrelation to said nozzle, and a spring-actuated feeding device disposedin the body.

4. A bait-box having a tubular body with a feeding-nozzle at the frontextremity thereof formed with an outlet-slot havinga guard at one side,a closure cooperating with said slot, and a spring-actuated expellingdevice mounted in the body.

5.l A bait-box comprising a tubular body having a slotextendinglongitudinallythereof, a spring-actuated expelling devicemounted in the body and having a headed projection extending through thesaid slot, and a reduced extremity at the front end of the body havingmeans to permit'the removal of bait therefrom and toward which theexpelling device presses the bait within the body.

6. A bait-box comprising a tubular body with a longitudinally-extendingslot therein and a counter-slot near the rear end of the body, an outletdevice on the front end of the body, and a spring-actuated expellingdevice mounted in the body and having a headed projection movable in theslot, the said expelling device being accessible through thecounter-slot.

7. A bait-box comprising a tubular body IOO IIO

with a slot therein and tongues et the rear Ward extremity, and espring-actuated baitend thereof, a slotted cap fitted over the rearexpelling devioe in the Said body.

end of the body and engaged by the seid In testimony whereof I afx mysignature tongue,en expelling device movahlymounted in presence of twoWitnesses.

5 in the body, and outlet means at the forward NICHOLAS BLANGHET.

extremity of the body. Witnesses:

8. A bait-box comprising an elongated tu- J. H. RALEY,

bulzu1 body having an outlet means at its for- ADNA RALEY.

